Archive for February, 2012

Kata Beach is located on the western side of Phuket. Kata is a favorite spot for many families who are planning a vacation because it offers a wonderful experience for the entire family. Nightlife here is also extremely popular. With many beach attractions, activities, fine restaurants, and tons of shopping, you will never find yourself looking for something to do in this tropical paradise. If you like bargaining, you can find many vendors who sell items indigenous to this area. (Bringing home souvenirs and taking pictures is vital to reliving the wonderful memories you will experience here.) Kata, Phuket has something for everyone, so whether you enjoy surfing, sightseeing or if you just want to take in the culture this area has to offer, Kata can definitely meet your travel needs.

Any Kata Resort that you visit in this area will be surrounded by beautiful trees and gardens that bring a quiet setting for total relaxation. Here you will also find famous hotels such as the Avista Phuket Resort and Spa, Centara Kata, Capa Panwa Phuket Hotel, Laguna Beach Resort, Kata Beach Resort and Spa, and the Impiana Phuket Cabana Resort and Spa. Kata beach is also close to many outlets where you can get food and drinks as well as shop if you need a break from the beach. If you enjoy hiking and waterfalls, there’re quite a few areas of the countryside that are extremely inviting and offer incredible scenery. If you have children and you want a short getaway with your spouse while on your vacation, many of the resorts will offer a babysitting service so you can take the night or the day for yourselves and enjoy privacy while you rekindle your romance.

Kata beach also hosts a number of water sports including windsurfing, jet skiing, snorkeling, windsurfing, and any other water sport that you can imagine. Do not worry about bringing your own equipment, because everything is available in the beach area for you and your family. Kata beach is most famous for its shallow beaches and so, it is very safe for your children. In fact, in the evening times there are many activities for the entire family to enjoy such as fine dining and musicals.

Aside from its wonderful views, its friendly natives and fantastic getaways, Kata is also known for its fantastic cuisine. Here you can enjoy Thai food in its finest prepared by some of most respected chefs in Thailand. You can sit inside or outside while you get to interact with couples and families from around the world.

The people in Thailand are extremely friendly and very open to tourism. In Thailand you will find many helpful personnel, lots of activities for your family, specific activities just for your children, and getaways for your spouse that will create memories that will last for a lifetime. If you have not had a vacation lately and if you have never visited Thailand, then Kata, Phuket is a perfect vacation destination any time of the year. In fact, Christmas time travel to this area is also very popular and can offer you and your family a unique way to spend Christmas.

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While Phuket can offer everything the tourists might need, from all kinds of activities to wonderful restaurants and bars, many people opt to take short breaks on one or more of the many islands near Phuket.

The primary advantage of visiting one of these islands is that the small size of the islands means they are not crowded with swarms of people. In fact, they make the perfect location for quiet and relaxing breaks where you really can get away from it all.

Not all of the islands around Phuket have accommodation and to visit most of them you will have to organize your own transport, as there are no regular ferry services. You can stay in a hotel in Phuket and get your trip to the nearby islands arranged at your hotel.

Coral Island

Just about 2 miles or 3 kilometers off the southeast corner of Phuket is the delightful Coral Island, which lives up to its name. Coral Island is outlined by two long, sandy beaches and is very popular with snorkelers. The reef is quite close to shore and is a spectacular underwater paradise teeming with multicolored tropical fish.

There is just one resort offering accommodation on the island, so it is ideal as a venue for people looking for complete relaxation, although each day brings many boatloads of trippers.

Most visitors to Coral Island come on organized day trips. These trips include hotel transfers, speedboat to the island, set menu lunch and use of snorkel and mask. All trips are accompanied by guides who can advise on the best places to snorkel.

It takes only 15 minutes to get to Coral Island from Phuket, and the cost of these full day trips is very reasonable at less than $35 for the whole day.

Phi Phi Islands

A day trip to Phi Phi and its neighbors is another very popular tourist option. Phi Phi itself is a beautiful, secluded island about 45 minutes from Phuket by speedboat. There are several beautiful beaches and coves around the island.

Most trips include a visit to Monkey Beach. The beach is so called because the native wild macaque monkeys come down to the beach to scrounge treats from the visitors. Many visitors are surprised when they realize that they recognize Maya Bay. Maya Bay was the location for the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “The Beach”.

Your trip will include a visit to the Viking Cave. The cave is home to millions of swifts that build nests high up on the roof and walls. The locals use a precarious system of natural fiber ladders and ropes to climb up to and steal these nests, which are then used to make bird’s nest soup.

Phi Phi island trips usually allocate the entire morning to Phi Phi itself and then, after lunch, visit some of the smaller, surrounding.

These full day trips, which last about 10 hours in total, are priced around $100. The charge includes transfers to and from hotels in Phuket, speedboat to Phi Phi and the other islands, a professional guide, lunch and snorkeling gear.

The trips to Coral Island and the Phi Phi Islands are among the most popular day trips available from Phuket, but there are lots more small islands scattered around the region that are well worth exploring as well

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Whether you’ve been there or not, a holiday in Phuket is always a trip to look forward to. A paradise in the real sense of the word, Phuket is the perfect place where you can relax, have fun and simply enjoy your holiday. Here are some of the best things and sights to visit in the stunning island of Phuket.

If you’re looking for a nice place to stay in Phuket, visit Accommodation in Phuket

Have Fun doing Water Activities

Since Phuket is surrounded by water, it is surely the best destination when you want to have the best of water activities. There surely are a lot of things that you can do here which involve water. Once you get here, the inviting waves, the cool and sparkling water will surely entice you to get into your swimming attire as soon as you can and take a plunge.

Snorkeling is a favorite among visitors in Phuket and you can do it in almost every beach found in the island. However, the crystal clear and warm waters of Phi Phi Island and Coral Island are the most recommended for snorkeling. Scuba divers will surely love Phuket for it is one of the top scuba diving spots in the whole world. If you want to give it a try, one of the best sites is Andaman Sea near the Similan Islands.  If you are up for an adventure where you will need to work your muscles, sea canoeing is definitely recommended for you. Meanwhile, if you simply want to relax and enjoy the view of the sea, take one of the cruises or yacht charters, which are available in all the beaches around Phuket. These cruises offer tours to the best destinations around the island which you will surely enjoy.

Attractions that Cannot be Missed

A holiday in Phuket should of course include a visit to the island’s top attractions. You can visit the famed Butterfly Farm and the Phuket Aquarium where you can see various species that you can only find in Phuket. There is also the Phuket Zoo which is found between Chalong Bay and Phuket Town. Spend time at the Phang Nga Bay where you can see the translucent limestone cliffs and the waters in emerald green, the Koh Panyee and the famous James Bond Island. You can also visit the Wat Chalong which is one of Thailand’s most vital temples. You should also not miss the Sea Gypsy Village and the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project where gibbons, the smallest apes are rehabilitated. In the south of the island, you can take a look at the Big Buddha which stands on the pinnacle of Nakkerd Hills overlooking Rawai, Chalong and Kata. If you want to start your day with a beautiful view of the sunrise, you can do it at the Promthep, the Three Beaches’ Hill, Radar Hill, Khao Rang and other viewpoints. These are just a few of the attractions in Phuket for there are surely a lot more that you can visit when you are there for your holiday.

Shopping and Dining

Thai cuisine is famous world-wide for its fresh ingredients and distinctive flavors and since you are in one of the country’s islands, you might as well enjoy this opportunity to sample various Thai dishes. Dining in Phuket does not mean you have to empty your pockets for there are various restaurants where the food is very much affordable. Some of the award-winning restaurants include Baan Rim Pa, JOESDownstairs, Da Maurizio and a lot more. You can also find small diners everywhere where the food is just as delicious but are offered in much cheaper prices.

Meanwhile, shopping is also one of the most enjoyable activities in Phuket. You can find various things at bargain prices such as souvenirs that you can bring home for your loved ones. You can try shopping at the Ocean Plaza, The Lotus, Big C, Robinson Department Store and other department stores within the island. And of course, you should not miss the Central Festival which is a one-stop spot for shopping and entertainment complex where you can find world-class and native products.

These are but a few of the activities that you can do during your holiday in Phuket. There are a lot more to keep you occupied. In fact, there will not be a day that goes by without you finding something new to do. Surely, a holiday in Phuket is a trip that you will look forward to.

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